Flashcards
Utilitarianism: Key Terms
Cards in this deck (21)
- 1Consequentialism/consequentialistThe idea that the rightness of an action can be determined by its consequences (rather than motives)
- 2TeleologicalGoal orientated or purpose driven decision making
- 3Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832)Founder of "classical utilitarianism" also known as the "principle of utility". Devised the "Hedonic Calculus"
- 4The Utility PrincipleSays that an action is morally right if it achieves the greatest happiness of the greatest number
- 5The Hedonic CalculusA "calculus" of pain and pleasure, according to which we can tell whether an action is good on Utilitarian grounds
- 6Bentham's Seven CriteriaINTENSITY| DURATION | EXTENT | PURITY |RICHNESS | DISTANCE | CERTAINTY
- 7James Mill (1773-1836)John Stuart's father. Propounded an early form of Utilitarianism, in which pleasures were not categorised.
- 8John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)The founder of Utilitarianism in its best known form. Distinguished intellectual from sensuous pleasures.
- 9Give a quote from JS Mill"Better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied"
- 10Intellectual pleasuresPleasures of the mind: eg. reading, sudoku, meditation
- 11Sensuous pleasuresPleasures of the body: eg. eating, sex, massage
- 12Further principleEveryone is to count for one according to JS Mill
- 13Positive UtilitarianismThe classical form aiming for happiness/pleasure
- 14Negative UtilitarianismIt's not always possible to decide on what would make people happy but we can reduce suffering
- 15Act UtilitarianismJudges each act on its own merits, according to whether or not it increases the general happiness (Bentham)
- 16Rule UtilitarianismJudges the principle behind the action. If it were to be made into a rule which everyone had to follow, would it increase or decrease the general happiness (JS Mill)?
- 17Good-aggregateAim to produce the greatest amount or quality of happiness even if only a few people can appreciate it
- 18Locus-aggregateAim to distribute the happiness over as many people as possible even if they get very little each
- 19Preference utilitarianismAccording to this, a good action is one in which people are most able to realise their own preferences
- 20Peter Singer (1946- )Creator of a form of Preference Utilitarianism in which the preferences of those creatures able to hold preferences trump the preferences of those who can't
- 21The Judge and the Innocent Defendant storyA story intended to show that there are absolute moral rules, and that prioritising the greatest happiness of the greatest number can sometimes produce evil actions
Information
- Description
- A level Religious Studies (Ethics) Flashcards on Utilitarianism: Key Terms, created by Izzy Noone on 28/05/2017.
- Created by
- Izzy Noone
- Views
- 10
- Tags
- Rating